Instant coffee maker with thermostatically controlled hopper therefor



June 28, 1960 A. J. HUCK ETAL 2,942,541

INSTANT COFFEE MAKER WITH THERMOSTATICALLY 1 CONTROLLED HOPPER THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 5, 1953 3 Sheets-Shoot 1 INVENTORS if of Jfzzck y 524152 11. Visas Original Filed Nov. 5, 1953 June 28, 1960 A. J. HUCK ETAL INSTANT COFFEE MAKER WITH THERMOSTATICALL CONTROLLED HOPPER THEREFOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 40; iii

June 28, 1960 A. J. HUCK ETA INSTANT COFFEE MAKER WITH THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED HOPPER THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 5, 1953 INVEVTORS lfmaJJYuck 3y 6' arias D. 7/1306 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INSTANT COFFEE MAKER WITH THERMOSTAT- ICALLY CONTROLLED HOPPER THEREFOR I Alfred J. Huck and Charles D. Visos, St. Louis, Mo., as-

signors to Knapp-Monarch Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri a Original application Nov. s, 1953, Ser. No. 390,342,

now Patent No. 2,898,842, dated Aug. 11, 1959. D1- vided and this application Feb. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 790,637

I 3 Claims. (Cl. 99-475) The present invention relates to an improved automatic coffee maker for instant-type coffee and more par-. ticularly to a thermostatically controlled cofiee hopperv therefor. This application is a division of a co-pending application, Serial No. 390,342, filed November 5, 1953, and now issued as Patent No. 2,898,842, issued August 11, 1,959.

In the apparatus described herein a bowl is provided to receive water for the coffee brew. The instant-type cofiee is placed in a hopper which forms a cover for the bowl and has a releasable bottom which dischargesthe coffee powder into the 'water at the proper time in the brewing cycle. The bottom of the bowl is heated by a suitable electric heating element which coacts with stirring means to assure agitation of the water in the bowl ments which release the cofiee when heated by the steam rising from the boiling water. These elements are located for exposure to such steam, thus assuring a positive release of coffee powder at the, moment the water reaches correct coifee powder-receiving temperature.

The heating of the bowl is controlled by' a brewing thermostatic switch which de-energizes the heating element when Water-boiling temperature has been reached. This switch snaps to the oifposition and stays 01f while the coffee is kept warm. A suitable on-ofl, keep-warm thermostatic switch recurrently energizes the heater to maintain the brew in palatable warm condition independently of the water-boiling switch. 7

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic coffee maker for instant type coffee. V

A further object of the present invention is 'to provide an improved automatic coffee maker for instant-type coifee in'which the cofiee powder is discharged into the heated water positively and automatically when the water reaches correct coffee-receiving temperature.

Another object of the present. invention is to provide an improved coffee maker for instant-type coifee in which heating of the water. for the coffee gives rise to agitation that assures a prompt and efiective admixture of the coifee powder and the water and the incident effective formation of a homogeneous brew without lumps of aggregated cofiee powder.

The novel features which we believe to be characteristic of our invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. Our invention itself, however, bothas toits organization and as to further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understoodby referice 2 ence to the following description taken in connection with the, accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a coifee maker constructed in accordance with the present invention; v Figure 2 isagreatly enlarged view of the colfeemaker. from the bottom with parts broken away. to show the construction of the switch elements;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the coffee maker from? the side but with the shellbroken away to showfthe interior thereof; V I

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of the hopper mechanism which releases the instant coffee at, the correct moment; a I

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary axial cross-sectional view of an alternative form of the coffee maker;

Figure 6 is a view in of the coffee maker of Figure 5; V Figure 7 is a view like Figure 5 of another form of the present invention; and

Figures 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views through the indicated cross sections of Figure 7, Figure 9 being to a somewhat enlarged scale.

Referring now to the structure of Figures 1-4, the cotfee maker consists of a metal bowl 10 having a handle 12 and a suitable plastic insulating base 14. The top of the bowl has a lip 10a with a pouring spout 10b. .The base has a series of supporting feet 14a and a socket 14b which is there in order to receive an appliance plug.

As shown in Figure 2, the relatively flat bottom 10c of the bowl 10 has an annular electric heating element 16 brazed or otherwise affixed in heat conducting relation to it. This heating element includes a resistance wire'16a imbedded in a suitable electrically insulating The heater wire 16a is energized from theappliance cord receiving prongs 18a and 18b through either of two circuits. One circuit-the keep-warm circuit' extends from prong 18a through conductors 20 and 22 to the movable contact 24. The latter engages fixed contact 26 tocomplete the circuit to theinsulated contact support 28 and wire 30 to the heater 16a. pleted through heater 16a to the Wire 32v and the prong 18b. The other circuit+the brew control circuitshunts the switch contacts 2426 by the circuit which can be traced from wire 20 through conducting cross member 32-to the wire .34. This wire extends to the movable contact 36, which engages fixed contact 38 to establish a circuit to the conducting contact support plate 28. Thus the heater either switch 2426or switch 3638-is closed.

As isdescribed in detail in the application of Alfred J. Huck and Charles D. Visos, Serial No. 341,248, filed March 9, 1953, entitled Lower Bowl Construction for Vacuum Type Coifee Makers and Switch Therefor, as-

signed to the same assignee as the present invention, and

with the contacts partially opened-overcomes the magnet force to hold them in the opened condition- The switch -24Z6 opens and closes over a relatively small temperature range and thus acts as a temperature regulating switch. l

As shown in Figure 3, the heater 16 affixed to an v annularraised embossment 10a in the bottom 10d of the bowl 10. This can be accomplished by welding-brazing,

Patented June 2 1960,

perspective of the rotorportion The circuit is com-- 16a is energized whenever orsimilar means. The apertured flat cover 40 with openings 40a is received over the bottom d and extends over the embossment10e and the area enclosed thereby. Cover 40 has a marginal skirt 40b which supports the plate and definesnnarginalholes 400, as shown.

A hopper unit. shown generally at 42 isreceivedon the.

lip portion 10a. of. the bowl 10, as shown in Figure 3. Thishopper has a rounded lip-receiving rim 40a which rests in annular contact on the lip 1011. A cylindrical portion 42b and a conical portion 42c depend from.this lipreceiving portion, as shown, to form a circular bottom rim 42d, Figures 3 and 4. Instant-type coffee C is supported in the hopper 42 by a pair of latch-supported'trap doors 44. These are of semi-circular conformation to close the bottom of the hopper when in the up position of Figure 3. They are swingably supported from diametrically opposed points by the hinges 44a, Figure 4, so asto swing to the opened vertical position of Figure 4 when released. The doors 44 are releasably held in the up position of Figure 3, by the bimetal latch46, Figures 3 and 4. This latch is held-in place on the cylindrical portion 42b of the hopper 42 by the rivet 46a. It extends downwardly and terminates in a rounded door-engaging part 4611.

At normal room temperature the bimetal 46 extends to the door-engaging and supporting position of Figure 3. In this position it sustains the doors in closed position and holds thecolree C above the water W in the bowl, as shown in Figure 3. When the temperature of the bimetal 46 rises, as hereafter described, the bimetal flexes outwardly toward the dotted line position of Figure 3. In this position it moves free of the doors 44 and permits them to fall to the coffee-releasing position of Figure 4.

It will be noted that the bimetal 46 is exposed to steam arising from the water W as the same is heated by the element 16.

A cover 48 is removably carried by the hopper 42 to 'protect the coffee therein against contamination. This is particularly desirable where-as in clock-controlled operation-the cofiee maker must remainin condition to make coffee for, along period of time prior tobeing energized.

Practical operation The mechanism, of Figures 1-4 operates as follows. With cofiee C and water W in the bowl 10, the user moves control arm 50, Figure 2, to the coffee-making position shown in that figure. This closes contacts 36-38 so that the heater 16' is energized when power is applied to appliance prongs 18a and 18b.

When current is applied to prongs 18a and 18b by insertion of an appliance plug, the heater 16 is energized and the water W is heated. As the water temperature rises and bubbles of steam being to be produced, the water violently agitates. This is due to the concentrated local heating at theheater 16, which recurrently causes steam formation which drives the water out openings 40a, Figure 3. Water then rushes in through the openings 40c and in a short time steam formation again occurs to drive the water through. the openings 40a. This recurrent action imparts violent motion to the water and causes it to agitate as the boiling temperature is approached.

As the heating of the water W continues, the bimetals 22a and 36d, Figure 2, are heated by reason of the fact that they are conductively connected to the bottom of the bowl 10 by the lug 10e. These bimetals fiex to the dotted line positions where they open their respective contacts 24-26 and 36-38 at preset temperatures. The bimetal 22a opens contacts 24-26 at the desired keepwarm temperature, say 180 F. Bimetal 36d opens contacts 36-38 at a temperature just below water-boiling temperature.

The actual water temperature in the bowl 10 is somewhat above boiling temperatureswhen contacts 36-38 actuallyppen. This is ,dueto'the thermal capacity of the bimetal 36d and the post 10e, together with the delay associated with the fact that these parts do not have perfect thermal conductance. Because of these effects the water W reaches a boiling state and steam condenses on the bimetal 46 before the switch 36-38 snaps to off position. Also, after the switch goes 011, there is some continued production of steam. In addition, the bimetal 46 is heated by radiation and convection from the heated water W. All these factors combine to cause a sulncient heating of the bimetal 46 to flex the same to the dotted line position of Figure 3. Whenthis occurs, the doors 44 are released and the coffee C is dumped into the agitating water W.

' Preferably, the bimetal 44 is designed to release the cofieeC an instant beforeboiling of the water W ceases.

In'other words; thebimetal' 46' is set to releaseat'a temperature well below water-boiling temperature so that it flexes to the door-releasing condition, even though only a srnallamount of steam has actually been produced and aperiod of time must elapse before switch 36-38 opens. The cofiee C is-thus deposited in the violently agitating heated 'water and forms a brew without lumps.

Thereafter, the keep-warm switch 24-26 is recurrently opened and closed by bimetal 2221 to maintain the brew at the desired serving temperature.

The operation of the keep-warm feature of the structure shown in Figure 2 is described in detail in the application of Alfred J. Huck and Charles D. Visos, above identified.

Figures Sand 6show a modified form of the present invention. In this structure parts corresponding to those of Figures 1-4are identified with the number added. In the unit of Figures 5 and 6'the heater 116 is a percolator type heater protruding from the bottom d of the bowl 110. This heater is energized by control elements (not shown) in the same manner as the heater 16, Figure 3. A" pointed bearing 116a extends above the heater 116 and receives the bearing-dimple a of the rotor 150 which has'a depending cylindrical skirt portion 150b which embraces the heater 116.

The rotor 150 has a series of four vanes 1500, which extend radially outwardly and terminate in circumferential ears 150d. A pipe 150e extends from the rotor 150'adjacent its top to each vane 150c and through the vane to discharge on the opposite side thereof.

In operation, the heater 116 produces a thermal'circulation ofthe water inwardly into the region between the heater 116 and the rotor 150, upwardly in the annular space between these parts, outwardly through the pipes 150e, and'into the main body of water. The circulation is augmented by the intermittent production of steam by reason of percolator action.

The thermostatic control elements to energize and shut ofi the heater 116, Figures 5 and 6, can be of the type shown and described above in connection with Figures 1 and 2. The instant'coffee storage and releasing mechanism may be like that shown in Figures 3 and 4, described above.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 show still another embodiment of the presentrinvention. In these figures, parts corresponding with those of Figures 1-4 are indicated with like reference numerals with 200 added.

As shown in- Figures 7-9, the heater 216 of this embodiment is of the percolator type protruding from the ottom 21M of-the bowl 210. A fixed housing 250 closely surrounds the heater 216 and has bottom fluid inlet opem'ngs 250a and top water outlet openings 25Gb. The latter openings areformed by the ears 250e, which are depressed radially inwardly so as to direct escaping fluid in the circumferential direction, as indicated bythe arrows A, Figure 9.

Theroof ofthe housing 250 carries the centrally disposed vertical pin'250a', which has an annular shoulder 2592. A rotor 252 is received on the pin and rests against the-annuiar'shoulder. This rotor has a plurality of radial arms 252a which, at their outer ends, extend downwardly to form vanes 2521).

When the heater 216 is energized, and particularly as the water approaches the boiling condition, liquid is driven through the openings 25% with a substantial circumferential component of motion. The liquid thus impinges on the vanes 252b to rotate the same and thereby produce additional agitation beyond that associated with the thermal flow itself.

The energizing mechanism for the heater 216 may be like that shown in Figures 1 and 2, and the instant coifee storing and discharging mechanism may be like that shown in Figures 3 and 4.

It will be noted that in all the forms of the apparatus described above, means is provided to heat the water W, Figure 3, and simultaneously agitate the water. As the Water reaches boiling temperature, the agitation is particularly intense and at that time the contents of the hopper 42, Figure 4, are discharged into the heated water. Thereafter, the heater is tie-energized and remains deenergized except for the recurrent heating to keep the brew warm.

In addition to its application in brewing instant coifee, the apparatus of the present invention can be used to brew tea.

While we have shown and described specific embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that various modifications and alternative constructions may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. We, therefore, intend by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and alternative constructions as fall within their true spirit and scope.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A thermostatically controlled, instant-coifee hopper, for use in a coffee brewing device of the type comprising a water containing bowl having a bottom, upright sides and an open top with a support rim therearound, and a coffee hopper positioned in register with the open top of the bowl and spaced above the water contained in said bowl; said thermostatically controlled hopper comprising, in combination: upright hopper side wall means including anoutwardly extending rim means adapted to engage the support rim on said bowl to removably support the hopper in said bowl in spaced relation above the water in the bowl and with the remainder of the hopper spaced from the sides of said bowl; hopper bottom means hingedly supported on the hopper side wall means and movable to open and closed hopper positions, said bottom means being adapted to support instant coifee powder in said hopper when said bottom means is in the closed position and to afford discharge of the instant colfee from said hopper into the water in said bowl when said bottom means is in said open position;

and a bimetal latch member cooperating between said hopper side wall means and said bottom means to normally maintain said bottom means in closed position and being exposed to respond at a predetermined temperature to heated vapor generated from the water in said bowl to permit said bottom means to open to discharge the instant coffee powder from the hopper into the heated water in said bowl.

2. A thermostatically controlled, instant-cofiee hopper, for use in a coffee brewing device of the type comprising a water containing bowl having a bottom, upright sides and an open top with a support rim therearound, and a coffee hopper positioned in register with the open top of the bowl and spaced above the water contained in said bowl; said thermostatically controlled hopper comprising, in combination: upright hopper side wall means including an outwardly extending rim means adapted to engage the support rim on said bowl to removably support the hopper in said bowl in spaced relation above the water in the bowl and with the remainder of the hopper spaced from the sides of said bowl; hopper bottom means hingedly supported on the hopper side wall means and movable to open and closed hopper positions, said bottom means being adapted to support instant coffee powder in said hopper when said bottom means is in the closed position and to aiford discharge of the instant coffee from said hopper into the water in said bowl when said bottom means is in said open position; and an elongated bimetal latch member carried on the outside of side wall means and normally positioned to engage said bottom means to maintain said bottom in closed position, said bimetal adapted to move away from engagement with said bottom means with increase in temperature of said bimetal in response to heated vapor from water in the bowl, to permit the bottom means to move by gravity to open position to discharge the instant coffee powder from the hopper into the heated water insaid bowl.

3. A thermostatically controlled, instant-coffee hopper, for use in a coffee brewing device of the type comprising a water containing bowl having a bottom, upright sides and an open top with a support rim therearound, and a coffee hopper positioned in register with the open top of the bowl and spaced above the water contained in said bowl; said thermostatically controlled hopper comprising, in combination: upright hopper side wall means including an outwardly extending rim means adapted to engage the support rim on said bowl to removably support the hopper in said bowl in spaced relation above the water in the bowl and with the remainder of the hopper spaced from the sides of said bowl; hopper bottom means including a plurality of complementary bottom segments hingedly supported on the hopper side wall means and movable to open and closed hopper positions, said bottom means being adapted to support instant coffee powder in said hopper when said bottom means is in the closed position and to afford discharge of the instant coffee from said hopper into the water in said bowl when said bottom means is in said open position; and an elongated bimetal latch member carried on the outside of side wall means and normally positioned to engage a portion of each of said bottom segments of said bottom means to maintain said bottom in closed position, said bimetal adapted to move away from engagement with said bottom means with increase in temperature of said bimetal in response to heated vapor firom water in the bowl, to permit the bottom means to move by gravity to open position to discharge the instant coifee powder from the hopper into the heated water in said bowl.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,566,914 Worst Sept. 4, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 550,000 Germany May 7, 1932 454,824 Great Britain Oct. 8, 1936 835,025 Germany Mar. 27, 1952 

